


Timeout

by retsukoi



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Car Accidents, Explicit Language, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Injuries, Not Beta Read, Romance, Slow Burn, also female reader, captain x manager is my guilty pleasure, reader will eventually be team manager, this is very self-indulgent, very very very angsty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:48:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24312280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retsukoi/pseuds/retsukoi
Summary: You thought moving into an entirely new city would be enough to escape your past that continued to haunt you, but it followed you everywhere. Unfortunately enough, it also came in the form of a towering height, a conniving smile, and an unsightly bedhead.
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Reader
Comments: 14
Kudos: 39





	1. trouble always find me

**Author's Note:**

> i'm a masochist and rewatched clannad. it basically inspired me to write this thing so if you find this little i wrote interesting, please enjoy the rest of the chapters that will be posted soon!

Kuroo had never felt this elated before.

It was something he couldn’t really put into words. A surge of happiness to his chest that he could just _explode_ and he wouldn’t have an explanation for it. Maybe, he supposed, it was the amalgamation of the many good things that occurred that day.

Firstly, it was his first day as the captain of the official boys’ volleyball team. He had dreamt of this moment since he was just a child, laying on the grass with his best friend and daydreaming of what’s to come in the uncharted territories of high school. He didn’t think it was possible but look at him now.

Another factor was that his academic ranking from last year was high enough to make him stay in the college preparatory class. Being a student-athlete was tough, but being a student-athlete who’s striving to get into a good university was even tougher. He made a mental reminder to thank those who helped him study for finals the year before.

Also, he was able to buy the last remaining juice box in the vending machine during lunch break. It proved to be the cherry on top that made him so unbelievably happy. It was meant to be, he believed that the juice box was meant for him only.

Kuroo was a simple man, he didn’t need grand things to make him happy.

He walked with a pep in his step, hands shoved in the pockets of his trousers and lips turned up in an untroubled smile. Tranquility and ease, it was a feeling he sought for nowadays.

Despite how good life seemed to be in the moment, he couldn’t forget that it _was_ his last year in high school. He couldn’t help but feel antsy at times whenever his mind subconsciously wonders about what the future holds for him. It was scary and daunting how many possibilities there were.

Anyway for now, it didn’t matter. He was on his way home to eat his favorite meal in celebration of his becoming of captain with his best friend, Kenma, who walked quietly beside him. He was having a good day. This was the cherry _of_ the cherry on top of his day.

The faint sound of ringing bells coming from Kenma’s gaming device was enough to evoke a sense of calmness to Kuroo, he’s heard it almost a hundred times now and it has never annoyed him. It was a reminder that his best friend was there just beside him.

Kenma’s eyes were narrowed, his thumbs aggressively punching into the buttons of his console that Kuroo almost felt sorry for it. He glanced at his screen, watching a character pummel into the opponent.

Kuroo lived in the same neighborhood as Kenma and has known him for the majority of his life. There weren’t many people his age in their area in so they were stuck together at the hip most of the time. The bad and the ugly, they have seen each other go through it all by just how much time they’ve spent together.

They lived in a street of suburban houses that were lined up in a row–Kuroo residing in a gray house and Kenma in a blue one–and alongside it was a stretch of a riverbank. He loved the riverbank, it brought back many memories of his childhood that he spent practicing volleyball with Kenma. No one visited it as often as they did so it was easy for them to claim their spot.

Although that day was different. There was actually somebody in the riverbank but it wasn’t a face he was familiar with. Kuroo could make out your lone figure standing dangerously near the edge of the water, you held a volleyball in your hands and your grip was tight, hard enough to leave a dent against the leather.

Kuroo walked a few steps closer and held out an arm for Kenma who had his eyes glued to his game and wasn’t looking ahead. The blond furrowed his eyebrows at him, trailing over to where his attention was suddenly transfixed. He blinked in surprise.

You were staring at your reflection in the water, clutching onto a volleyball in your hands, and you felt a sudden flurry of bile rush up to your throat.

You fell to your knees as if your legs have given up supporting what’s left of you, the scraps of remnants. Managing to swallow it down, you felt the corners of your eyes pooling with tears and making your vision blurry. Absolutely disgusted and mortified with yourself, the thought of almost vomiting gave you goosebumps.

A wave of water hits your skin and you were reminded of the predicament you’re in. You glanced down, the ball in your grasp felt hot to touch, your fingers were trembling and it threatened to slip through. Another splash collides against your bruised knees.

You let out a shaky breath, clutching onto the ball and reeled it back. A beat passed and you hurled it across the river, it dipped inside the water but it floated back up. You watched as it got carried through the stream, a blank look on your face as tears flowed down your flushed cheeks.

Your legs were getting wetter by the second. A slew of curses rolled off your tongue as your nails dug into the palms of your hands.

Kuroo didn’t understand why you would do that. It was a perfectly good ball from where he could see. He gaped his lips, about to call out to you when he felt Kenma’s hand tugging onto the sleeve of his blazer, wordlessly prompting him to not bother the crying stranger.

He hesitantly nodded and carried on with their walk. His hand rubbed the back of his neck, apprehensive.

There wasn’t a pep in his step anymore, it felt heavier with every step he took. Strangely enough, seeing a stranger looking like the world was out to get them was a sight he just couldn’t shake off. You were grieving, emotions so strong it almost felt palpable. It was sad enough to tug a certain feeling in his chest, heavy enough to complicate his good day.

He wasn’t having that good of a day anymore, he concluded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short prologue ting


	2. eyes locked, hands locked

Raking his fingers through his disheveled hair, Kuroo smoothed down his wrinkled blazer with his other hand. It was a futile attempt to look presentable when he had overlooked his vest that got untucked from his trousers and the zipper of his book bag that got caught on his necktie.

He let out a heavy breath to compose himself. Having to run all the way from the gymnasium to his classroom at the last minute, he at least wanted to look decent when he gets chewed out by the teacher for being late to homeroom.

Sliding the door open as quietly as he could, he hesitantly stepped a foot in and braced himself for whatever scolding was to be unleashed. Fortunately enough, she didn’t pay him any mind. He shuffled inside and made his way to his desk in haste.

“You need to do something about morning practices, Kuroo.” Yaku muttered, glancing over his shoulder to see Kuroo scampering to prepare for their first class. “Either have it earlier or cut it shorter. I’m the one getting reprimanded by Mika-sensei because of your constant tardiness.”

“Do you want to switch places with me then? Clean the gym every morning?” Kuroo asked a hypothetical question that he didn’t need an answer to. He loved his duties as the captain, even if the menial ones often got him in trouble with his classes.

“I prefer leading the after-school cleanups, sorry.” Yaku whistled jokingly, turning back to avert his focus in front where their classmates have been gawking at and obnoxiously exchanging whispers about.

Kuroo craned his neck to see what the commotion was, what was too important that the teacher dismissed his late arrival to give her full attention to. The teacher sat behind her table as she talked to a student he was sure he didn’t know of.

He thought that maybe the exhaustion of morning practices was really getting to him, he was certain that he could recognize forty of his classmates as they had already spent months together. He leaned over his desk with his eyes narrowed, trying to figure out whose back it was that seemed so familiar to him.

“Alright, settle down.” The teacher called out, hefting herself up from her seat. She led you to the platform, the noise of the classroom simmering down once you’ve finally shown your face to those seated. “We have a new student joining us today.”

You introduced yourself, bowing in front of the class with a grin on your face. You had your hands clasped behind you, fingers twiddling with each other. You continued, “Please take care of me.”

Kuroo blinked twice, unable to comprehend that it was you that he was seeing. You were the girl he saw crying at the riverbank, he was sure of it; a face like yours was difficult to forget and the sheer distress you displayed that day triggers a tightness in his chest whenever he thinks of it. _Kenma’s never gonna believe this_ , he thought.

“She just moved here from Miyagi so I’m expecting all of you to help her settle in.” The teacher said, directing you to an empty desk near the podium where you could sit next to the class representative. Kuroo had a clear view of you from his chair, he noticed. “Now, let’s proceed with homeroom.”

You exuded an aura totally different from where he first caught sight of you, it was an energy that demanded people’s attention. Observing you, he presumed that something positive must’ve happened in the months since he had last seen you. The distinct glower on your face he’d seen that day was replaced with a smile so bright it made you look more _alive_.

But he shouldn’t be putting much thought into it. He was sure you hadn’t even been aware of his presence at the riverbank. He brushed it off.

The day went on swimmingly. Kuroo could be mischievous at times but he prides himself as a good student. He actively listened to the teachers and jotted down notes even when it was unnecessary. He noted that you, as well, paid great attention to the classes–he figured you did well in school, you got into a college preparatory section after all.

Lunch break rolled around and it was almost automatic how his classmates flocked around your table. He even swore there were some faces he recognized from the class beside theirs. You were charming and it was rare to have transfer students in the third year, in his convoluted way he understood the racket you were unintentionally causing.

Kuroo pushed his chair back and got up from his seat. He trailed behind Yaku whom he often ate lunch with. Kai also joins them whenever he could, patiently waiting outside in the hallway every time. They’d take a stroll to the vending machines and come back to the classroom to eat their bento. As different as their personalities were, he still treasured the trio they formed that bonded still even outside volleyball.

Passing by your table, he can’t help but let curiosity pique his interest. With his intimidating stature and looming form, the circle that has formed around you collectively stared at him. A student moved to the side to be able to let him see you. You still haven’t noticed his presence and you were still wearing that striking smile of yours, he wondered if your face ever got tired of it.

Yaku watched from the side, impatiently tapping his foot against the wooden floors. Kai peaked in from the door to see what was taking them so long.

Kuroo calls your name and at the sound of his voice, an expression of unfamiliarity mars your face. You glanced at his direction as he nonchalantly asked, “Do you play volleyball?”

A flicker of a frown graced your lips but your cheerful demeanor returned almost immediately after, Kuroo noticed your quick change of mood. You innocently titled your head to the side and spurred squeals among his classmates, “What made you say that?”

“Just an assumption.” He shrugged his shoulders, the corner of his lip tugging to a simper you didn’t quite particularly like.

“Well, I never tried playing it.” You smiled back so warmly it easily got the others swooning. You held Kuroo’s stare indignantly, he almost found it amusing. You added, “Because it honestly doesn’t look all that interesting to me. I’m sorry.”

Kuroo’s eyes glazed over. Before he could make a retort, you were swayed by the bombard of recruitments for club activities. Despite being the person who initiated the topic in the first place, he was pushed out of their bubble soon after. He was dragged away by Yaku who had a prominent furrow on his eyebrows.

“What was that?” Yaku asked, reaching over to knock the back of his head. “Don’t spite the transfer student.”

“Eh? I wasn’t spiting her!” Kuroo dramatically placed his hand over his chest to feign surprise. “Did it look like I was?”

“Yes! It’s a good thing she’s nice.” Yaku rolled his eyes, resisting every urge to not smack him again. He ran up ahead where Kai was. They exchanged greetings and the tensed atmosphere dispersed in an instant.

“Who was that?” Kai asked as they began their short walk to the other building they frequented for the row of vending machines.

“Just a transfer student.” Kuroo said dismissively. He couldn’t be bothered, he was too busy to involve himself with people he doubted he’d get the time to get along with.

“She looks familiar. Sorta.” Kai mumbled mostly to himself, rubbing his chin.

“You’ve been to Miyagi?” Yaku asked, staring at the significantly taller man with curiosity. “She’s from the north; doesn’t look it, though.”

“Ah, no. Maybe I’m just confusing her with someone else.” Kai shook his head, chuckling softly in embarrassment.

Yaku raised his arms above his head, stretching out his limbs after long hours of consecutive classes. He let out a yawn, “I wish I brought more _Yasai Itame_ to eat. I need to fill up my stomach before practice later.”

“The preparations for the training camp has started, huh?” Kai said in a tone that resembled sentimental, making Yaku nod fervently at the mention of it. Kuroo, on the other hand, let out a howl of aggravation. “Is something wrong?”

Kuroo rubbed the sides of his face, “Nekomata-sensei and Naoi-sensei have been busting my ass all week because of training camp. That’s why I’m always late to morning homeroom because there’s so much work left to do!”

“Most of the team are too busy studying for the exams that’s why they aren’t able to help us.” Yaku sighed, his temple throbbing at the mere thought of the first and second years struggling to balance their schedules. “Maybe it’s time for us to get a manager?”

“We’re already two months into the year. Most of the students already applied for clubs.” Kuroo frowned, scratching the back of his head. In desperate times, a manager was an idea he had thought of but he hadn’t known any student who was willing enough to handle the team. “Besides, I’m handling it fine.”

Yaku snorted at the same time Kai barked a laugh, Kuroo turned to them with a glower. His dark circles had become apparent and he was yet to tidy his appearance from that morning, they could tell that their tight-knit schedule has taken a toll on their otherwise proper captain.

“Oh! What about the new student? Do you think she’s accepted an offer to join any clubs yet?” Yaku suddenly recalled, jutting a finger in the air as if a light bulb went off in his head.

“You need to get your ears checked, Yakkun. She clearly said she hated volleyball.” Kuroo scoffed, having clearly taken offense to what you’ve said. Despite your honest intent, he couldn’t miss the hint of malice your words were laced with.

“That wasn’t what I heard.” Kai said with a teasing smile, reaching over to pat Kuroo’s back to console him. Kuroo childishly pursed his lips. “Maybe she thinks that way because she’s just not as exposed to it as we are.”

“If she became the manager, she’ll learn to love it!” Yaku quickly added, raising his hand for Kai to high-five with. “Kuroo! Think about it!”

They’ve arrived at the vending machines without Kuroo uttering another word. He let them babble on about their supposedly foolproof plan to get you into volleyball and ultimately be their manager. As they did so, Kuroo managed to snake his way to the front. He delved into his pockets for loose change and shoved coins into the slot, pressing the button for a can of energy drink–he clearly needed all the help he could get.

Kuroo snapped it open, pressing his mouth against the metal and letting the sugary drink run down his throat. He leaned against the wall and stared at his _uwabaki*_ like it’s the most fascinating sight he’d seen all day. Yaku and Kai exchanged a similar look, they understood not to talk about it anymore.

“Fine, I’ll just ask around in other classes if somebody isn’t in a club yet.” Yaku sighed, clasping Kuroo’s shoulder as if to reassure him. “There must be at least _one_ student, right?”

Kai smiled, nodding at the two with his bottled juice in hand. He said, “I’ll ask the others to help us look.”

Kuroo let out a breath of relief he didn’t realize he was holding. Their trio made their way back to the classroom as if the prior conversation hadn’t happened at all. He couldn’t ask you to fill in such a daunting position for a club you clearly don’t care about. You even claimed that you had no experience in it, but he doubted you. He’d unmistakably seen you carrying a volleyball at the riverbank.

Although even if you did threw it away, he was certain it was a ball not any regular person would have just for leisure playing. It was not just a Mikasa volleyball, it was a model he’d only seen advertised on television by elite players all around the world. Not a sane person would be able to afford it unless they were serious about their game.

If his memories served him correctly, he even remembered how bruised you were that day. Scratches and splotches of black and blue littered along your skin, most of it he’d seen scattered on your knees and arms. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe it was his desperation for help talking. He needed to hear Kenma’s advice, he deduced.

“Oi, look at where you’re going!” Yaku yelped a little too loudly, Kuroo felt Kai’s rough hold to move him to the side before he could collide against the wall of their classroom. “You need to get more sleep! I’ll tell Nekomata-sensei and Nao-sensei that you need a break!”

Kuroo rolled his eyes, dragging his feet to where his desk was. He flopped on his seat and caught a glimpse of your gaze. You looked wary of him, he looked at you with interest in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes that is a red velvet song


	3. roll it on home

_How picturesque_ , Kuroo thought with a glower. Pressing his forehead against the glass, he stared at you from a floor above yours with the most sullen look on his face.

You sat in the middle of a crowded circle in the courtyard, eating lunch with a variety of people Kuroo couldn’t even recognize. Leaves fell as the wind swooped in, the gentle hit of sunlight peering over the roof. You were laughing at what some second year said, roaring with a kind of laughter too joyous to be sincere.

Kenma stood beside him with a juice box in his hand, standing in front of the window that overlooked the courtyard after Kuroo had called him out of his classroom for an ‘ _emergency meeting_ ’ as he spazzed.

“That’s her right? She’s the girl we saw at the riverbank?” Kuroo finally spoke after minutes of anguished silence, his voice strained as if he was starting to doubt himself after getting to say it out loud the first time.

“What riverbank?” Kenma droned on, narrowing his eyes. He punctured his straw in his drink and thought for a second before realizing who he had meant. He said, “It’s been two months, I barely remember that happening.”

“But that’s _her_ , right? I’m not going insane?” Kuroo pulled away from the window, placing his hands onto Kenma’s shoulders.

Kenma unwillingly wobbled in his grip, “Yeah, that’s her.”

“Thank god.” Kuroo lets out a breath of relief, dropping his hold on him.

“Why are you so invested in her anyway? You can easily—”

“I just wanted to make sure.” Kuroo cut him off, startled. And it was his honest truth, he rambled on about having to see you every day wasn’t good for his concentration in class. Now that Kenma had confirmed it, he could finally put an end to the madness and leave you be.

“Then can I go back now? My bento is getting cold.” Kenma sounded as uninterested as he could ever be. He couldn’t deal with another day of his best friend’s weird girl troubles.

Kuroo shook his head, turning his back on the window to lean his elbows against the frame. He said, “Ah, no actually, I had something different I want to talk to you about. You know how the training camp is in three weeks, right?”

“Yeah, what about it?” Kenma asked, raising a brow.

“I got approval from Nekomata-sensei to look for a manager to help us around.” Kuroo chuckled, unable to resist his grin.

“Really? That’s great then.” Kenma’s mouth gaped in surprise like he almost couldn’t believe it when they did the work themselves for so long that they just gave up entirely on the prospect of getting a manager for the team.

Kuroo’s chuckle faded, scratching his temple with his index finger. He added, “Well, just a temporary one. They don’t want us to rely on others too much.”

“That’s to be expected but still, a manager’s a manager.” Kenma said, smiling at the thought they’d finally get the break they deserved—mostly Kuroo. “Who’s it gonna be?”

“ _That’s_ my problem. I have no idea who to ask or if anybody would even apply for the position.” Kuroo sighed, swiveling back around to his previous position where he planted his forehead against the glass in despair.

Kenma lifted the straw of his drink back in between his lips, a thoughtful look on his face. Kuroo remained helpless, unaware of the odd looks he was receiving in the hallway.

“We can try waving Lev around campus without a shirt on, I bet there’ll be plenty of girls who’d sign up after that.” Kenma proposed like it was the most logical idea.

Kuroo glanced at him, amused at the rare occasions he joked around, but he shook his head, “I would prefer someone who’s actually interested in volleyball not just Lev’s lanky body, thanks.”

“Well, you’re looking for a manager in the middle of the semester. You can’t be picky.” Kenma said as a matter of fact, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t you know anybody in your year who doesn’t have a club yet at least?” He asked with a sigh, raking his fingers through his hair as a tell of his desperation. “We already scoured through the third years but we didn’t have any luck finding one.”

“Not that I know of.” Kenma mumbled quietly, obnoxious with the sound of his slurping.

“Try asking around then.” Kuroo heaved another sigh, a sigh so heavy it was as if all the world’s problems were weighed onto his shoulders.

He was starting to believe that Nekoma really wasn’t destined for a manager. He couldn’t bear it, he couldn’t even imagine the look of disappointment on Yamamoto’s face when he'd eventually break the news that they could’ve had a manager but he was unable to look for one. 

Kenma pondered on it for another moment, his sight trailing over to where you were sitting through the window that separated them. He jutted his chin towards you and asked, “Why don’t you just ask her? Isn’t she in your class?”

Kuroo followed his gaze, his lips pursing once his eyes landed on you. He said, “Ah, she surprisingly doesn’t like volleyball.”

“What do you mean?”

“She told me that she wasn’t interested in it, probably hadn’t tried it at all.” Kuroo huffed, recalling what transpired just a week ago. “I didn’t bring up the whole riverbank thing, though.”

“Is that so?” Kenma sighed, setting down his drink onto the window sill. “Her name is [L/N Y/N], right?”

Kuroo looked at him with his nose scrunched up. He asked warily, “Yeah, how’d you know that? Is she already popular in your year?”

Kenma didn’t answer him. He reached inside his pockets and whipped out his phone to which Kuroo thought was only normal of him when they were in the middle of a conversation. He rapidly tapped onto its screen to open a browser. “Kuro, she’s lying to you.”

Kuroo’s brows knitted together as Kenma thrusted his phone into his face for him to see. He was on a famous sports news website, its bright red logo all-too-familiar to him whenever he needed to seek information online about their opponents. An article was pulled up, your photo right dab at the start of it.

It was a photo taken by a professional photographer, and from the corner of it, he saw that it was dated from a year ago. Taken during the middle of a volleyball game, you were in a position where a setter would be. You had your arms held high and you had an expression he had never seen you draw, _alive_ and _genuine_. You wore a white and turquoise jersey Kuroo discerned was from Miyagi’s Aobajohsai.

“Seijoh…” He trailed, pinching his chin in between his fingers as he bent over Kenma’s level to be able to see his phone clearly, to verify that it was actually you in the picture.

“Read the article.” Kenma said, flicking his finger to further down the webpage where bold letters that read: ‘ **AOBAJOHSAI HIGH’S STAR PLAYER, [L/N Y/N], LEADS THE TEAM TO ANOTHER VICTORY** ’ captured his attention.

_Aobajohsai High’s [L/N Y/N] has established a name for herself as one of the most promising setters among the high school level players in Miyagi._

_As the former captain of her middle school team in Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High and being the current vice-captain of her high school team in Aobajohsai High, [L/N] has risen through the ranks and developed skills that helped her catch the attention of several club teams in Japan._

_[L/N]’s ability to connect with her teammates and her adaptability to different systems on the court make her a standout player to look out for in her future games._

_It’s only her second year in high school but she already plays an important role in her team as they claim a spot in the upcoming nationals._

_[L/N] is a force to be reckoned with and she can only go up from here._

Kuroo lets out a disgruntled noise of disbelief, not only to you but also to the pudding-haired best friend he had. His nostrils flared, “You knew her all this time and you didn’t tell me?”

“Sorry, I just remembered.” Kenma shrugged his shoulders apathetically, slipping his phone back into his pockets. “Though, I don’t know much about her aside from this article alone.”

Kuroo groaned, but he couldn’t blame him. They weren’t exactly the most knowledgeable when it came to news regarding girl’s volleyball. Their team was too wrapped in their own competitions to be involved in another’s, only with the exception of Nekoma’s in which he only hears bits of news from whenever their coaches discuss with each other.

“Why’d you think she lied to me about it?” Kuroo asked, scratching the back of his head. If a person as cocky as you was a topnotch athlete, surely you would’ve been proud of it and boasted about it every chance you get. “No, more importantly, why did she transfer schools just before the start of the season? Her _last_ season.”

Kenma hummed, “Why don’t you ask her? Wouldn’t hurt to try.”

“I’m pretty sure she hates my guts.” Kuroo admitted—suddenly a feeling of regret crept onto him, he might’ve been too hostile on your first day of class.

“That’s too bad. Since she used to be a player, she’d be the perfect manager.” Kenma said with the purest of intention, not basked in any form of ill will, but he unintentionally planted the seed inside Kuroo’s head. He placed his hand onto his stomach and turned to him, “Ah, I should get going before break ends. I’ll look for potential managers so see you later.”

Kuroo only raised his hand to bid him farewell. He stood in his spot in front of the window, staring at you with a vacant expression. You were qualified enough to be a manager, in fact, you were _overqualified_. With dozens of achievements under your belt—even having articles written for you that he’s never once gotten in his entire career, you might as well start the same day without the need of a formal interview assessment.

He needed you to be on the team. Whatever problems you might’ve run into in your previous school, he was willing to make a compromise and work it out to make you stay. Forget all of his stubbornness to brush you off.

Kuroo sucked in a breath, knocking his fists onto his temples. He made his way down the staircase that led to the courtyard with every step he took feeling heavier than the last. It was obvious that your personality clashed with his, his assertiveness and your arrogance were bound to cause conflict, but he needed you for the team and his sanity.

He walked up to your group and when they made no effort to even spare him a glance, he coughed a little too aggressively to catch their attention. They turned around and collectively raised their brows.

“I need to talk to her.” He said, using a tone he only used in practices when he needed to show his authority. They looked at him questioningly but you remained stoic in your seat, chopsticks shoved into your mouth as he caught you mid-bite. They didn’t lift a muscle to move and he gruffed, “Us alone, preferably?”

Your friends—and that was a loose assumption—eyed him from head to toe, determining if he was worthy of interrupting their time with you. His eyes twitched when they just resumed their chatter, ushering him out of your line of sight.

“It’s alright, guys. We can all talk later again after class!” He heard you say, your cheery voice reassuring them to do as he told. He could only commend you on the power you had over them as they eventually scurried away, shooting him a glare before they did. You were left on the bench, still in the midst of eating.

“You seem to have a lot of friends already.” Kuroo commented offhandedly, glancing behind his shoulder to where your group had dispersed. “That’s pretty impressive for a transfer student.”

“Not really, I doubt half of them even remember my given name.” You mumbled under your breath, mostly to yourself but Kuroo heard it crystal clear. You dabbed the corners of your mouth with a handkerchief and cleared your throat, “What do you want to talk about?”

“Let me introduce myself properly to you first because I don’t think I have.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. He wasn’t wrong, you’d been only calling him a name you’ve heard from your classmates—Morisuke-san, mostly, whenever he screams at him.

“I’m Kuroo Tetsurou, I’m the captain of the boy’s volleyball team.” He said, watching you stab onto your onigiri a little harder than necessary at the last bit he added. He flinched but continued on, “Nekoma’s hosting a training camp and we need a manager to help out.”

You let out a scoff in disbelief, setting your food beside you on your seat. Quirking your eyebrow, you asked, “What do you want me to do about it?”

“I’m here to ask you if you would be interested in becoming our manager.” He said, his voice getting smaller with every word he spoke. Your quick change of behavior held so much animosity, he subconsciously took a step back.

“Didn’t I tell you before that I didn’t play?” Your malicious smile returned, but he didn’t bat an eyelash. “I don’t know a single thing about volleyball.”

Kuroo clamped his lips, “I looked you up online.”

You went rigid and froze, gaping at him with incredulous eyes. A beat passed and neither of you had made a move. In your mind, you were already lighting him on fire while he stared at you with nothing but nonchalance.

 _Maybe she didn’t hear me properly_ , he thought. With a newfound source of confidence that he might’ve gotten the upper hand of the conversation, he pressed on, “Weren't you the vice-captain for Seijoh’s volleyball team—”

“Stop. I get it, you stalker.” You glared at him in distaste, and he found it to be refreshing that you were finally letting him see a side of you that wasn’t masked by your innocent and good-natured facade.

 _A touchy subject probably_ , Kuroo thought. He trashed his plan of drilling you of your history in Seijoh, postponing it to another day.

“Then you lied to me!” Kuroo exclaimed in mock surprise, gawking at you as if it wasn’t already made obvious by your reaction, to rub more salt into the wound.

“So what? It’s not like it’s a big deal.” You scowled, rolling your eyes so far back he wondered if it would fall right off from its sockets. “I don’t owe my honesty to a stranger I barely know.”

“You don’t, of course, but now you _do_ owe me a favor because of that.” He smirked with a confidence that you couldn’t believe he was capable of embodying so shamelessly, as though what he said made total sense.

You said, “Life doesn’t work that way.”

He sighed. Gnawing the insides of his cheeks, he pushed away his reluctance and bowed, bending 90-degrees in front of you. You blinked at him in surprise, an unfamiliar warmth crawling on your neck and ears. In his stance, he said, “Be our manager.”

“What?” You asked in genuine confusion. It was hard to wrap your head around the fact that the person who had been pestering you the past five minutes was asking you to join a club you’ve clearly expressed your lack of interest in, to be the manager no less.

“We need a student who’s already knowledgeable about volleyball, we don’t have the time to guide someone when we’re all so busy.” He sounded as if he was almost pleading, straightening his back and meeting your bewildered gaze. “Please. Just for that week, I promise, you’re free to leave once the training camp ends.”

From your peripheral vision, you caught stares of people you don’t know darted your way. In no way were they discreet or subtle, they were blatantly watching as the scene unfolded before them. You swallowed your embarrassment to bring out your usual confidence and chuckled, “Kuroo-san, people might mistake that you’re asking me out.”

“I don’t care.” Kuroo’s jaw tightened, but you saw a glimpse of the faintest hint of a blush flit his cheeks. “It’s for the club.”

“You seem like a good captain.” You pointed out, grinning at him half-heartedly.

“Only because I have a good team.” He spoke with so much conviction that it made it hard for you to doubt him.

You reached for your discarded bento box, setting it onto your lap where your handkerchief was laid out. Tying it back together in silence, you felt his gaze pierce through you. You stood up and the sheer difference in height would make anyone stagger in their step, but you stood your ground.

With your chin held high, you asked, “When’s the training camp?”

The twinkle in Kuroo’s eye made you want to giggle. For a man who had such a tough and strong persona, his flickers of weakness sure were total opposites. He stammered to bring out his voice at your sudden show of interest, “I-In three weeks.”

“Then you have three weeks to look for a manager because I’m just _not_ interested.” You said, your sickly sweet tone enough to revert Kuroo to his state of annoyance. As if you weren’t enough of a pain already, you added, “Good luck, Kuroo-san!”

Kuroo scowled, craning his neck in disbelief as you went on your merry way. Similar to the feeling of getting stood up and rejected, it took him a good few seconds before it finally dawned on him what just occurred.

He exuded an aura of misery and dejection, and the students who eavesdropped in their conversation scurried off to their own businesses. He let out a sigh, slumping onto the bench you’d sat on. He leaned the back of his head against the wood, the grumbles of his stomach reaching his ears.

If you hadn’t turned down his offer like that, he would’ve accepted it and carried on, but you were so puffed up with overflowing conceit and spite that it almost was impossible for him to ignore. The way you easily got into his skin only fueled his determination to make you their manager.

After what seemed like hours of moping over what happened, a pair of familiar faces loomed over Kuroo and he jumped in surprise. He adjusted in his seat to see Yaku with his hands on his hip and Kai standing behind him with a teasing grin.

They shared a familiar smirk and Kuroo turned away with a frown, crossing his arms against his chest as he already knew what they would say.

“That physically hurt me to watch.”

“Shut up, Yakkun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had this in my drafts since last week but i forgot to post it i'm sorry?!@?2e?? ANYWAY kuroo still hasnt appeared in the manga and people are saying that he's d*ad 😭😭 what do u think that nerd is up to ^^ personally i love the headcanon that he's in med-school


End file.
